Ashok :
Okay. We’ll commence with our question-answer session.
Question :
When we do Simran during the day, sometimes we do Simran without thinking or focusing on each word. Does this Simran have any value?
Baba Ji :
So, it is also a good thing to do Simran fast when, especially, our mind is very turbulent and we have got lots of outside thinking and we are not able to concentrate. Then, in such times, it is suggested that you should do Simran fast by the quick repetition of all the Five Words. We are able to focus better. For people who can do all the Five Words quickly, it is a good thing. But we should try to remember each Word properly while we are repeating the Words.
Question :
You have spoken about the disciples being connected to Master through the Sound Current. Kirpal states that disciples will be given direct experiences of spiritual experiences, of being linked to the inner Light and Sound, at the time of initiation. If we have yet to have an inner experience of Light and Sound, do we just keep with meditation and it will come? Are we any less tied to the Master, not having experienced the Sound Current?
Baba Ji :
At the time of initiation, all are connected with the Sound Current. However, experiences are different for different people. So, some may get an experience of seeing the Sound and Light, and some may not get. And they may get later. It is important for us to continue with full faith and do our meditation as the Master has told us. And, in the course of time, you will get progress within.
Question :
What is the significance, and how important is the lotus position for the spine? Is our practice compromised by putting our bodies in other positions to reduce strain? Should we be attempting to extend our endurance over the seated pose, and force through discomfort?
Baba Ji :
The physical position of the body does not really have a bearing in your meditation. However, it is always good to be seated straight while you're doing meditation. If a lot of people cannot sit in the padmasana position, or in the lotus position, in that case, you may sit in any position that you are comfortable with. You sit in whatever position where you can sit for the longest period of time. So, it is important that you sit in a comfortable position, so you can sit for a longer period of time.
Question :
During the meditation, when is the best time to do Dhyan, and for how long? Or is it best to strive to combine Simran with Dhyan?
Baba Ji :
Simran and Dhyan are both to be done at the same time. Dhyan is our faculty of visualization. So, when we are repeating the Words, the Naam, we should think of our Master. And, as soon as we think of anything, we immediately start visualizing the thing at the back of our Eye Center, which is our faculty of visualization. For example, now, if you think of your house, you’ll immediately get the picture of your house in your mind. That picture of the house, which you have got in your mind, is your faculty of visualization. You should use that for thinking of your Master. And you should do your continuous Simran at the same time.
Question :
Master has said that the soul has the brightness of sixteen suns, and it has the faculty of seeing and hearing. Can the soul talk and sing? Can the soul smell and touch? Does the soul have size and shape? And can the soul move?
Baba Ji :
The soul has the faculty of seeing and listening. And it gets the brightness of the sixteen suns when it goes and meets Sat Purush — when it goes to God Almighty. And, when it goes to God Almighty, it becomes omnipotent as it merges with God Almighty. And then, it can take any form it wants. It can move anywhere it wants. It can assume any body it wants. And it is free to do anything. It is omnipotent.
Question :
What is seen just before and just after one’s inner vision is opened?
Baba Ji :
When we focus our attention back at the back of the Eye Center and we come to the Tenth Door, then the first thing that we see is our own soul, which is in the form of a small light. And we observe that. And, after that, the other lights within, by virtue of your soul, you can start seeing. And then, you get to see the Radiant Form of the Master. And then, He takes you further within.
Question :
If one watches a DVD for Satsang, does it matter if you watch it alone, rather than with other satsangis?
Baba Ji :
So, when we sit for Satsang and we listen to Satsang, we should listen to it with full attention. And we should assume that what is being said is being told to you, whether you are sitting alone, or whether you are sitting with others. You should always feel that, and listen and assume that what is being said is being said to you, and not just being said to the others sitting around you. Secondly, if you sit alone, it doesn't matter whether you sit alone, or you are sitting with others. You should contemplate the Master within, and you should listen to the Satsang with full attention.
Question :
Can the soul somehow see or hear the Shabd on the Astral or Causal Planes?
Baba Ji :
So, all these souls who are there in the Astral and Causal Planes can listen to the respective Sound and see the Light, as has been explained, in those respective planes. So, whatever is the feature of that particular plane, the Sound there, the Light there, and the things that are there around it, all of this can be seen by all the souls, which are there, irrespective of whether they are satsangis, or not. So, everyone in that plane can see everything, hear everything, similarly.
Ashok :
I just asked one additional question. It is that — if they can hear the Sound Current, why can't they go further up, like any other satsangi?
Baba Ji : (continuing)
So, the satsangis are connected by their Masters in Sar Shabd above the Par Brahm. And these other souls, which go up, even Kal has tied up some of these souls to come up with various other means. And they are tied up at different levels, but all within the realm of Kal. So, those souls then, according to whatever practices they have done, will go up to that level and will be able to experience everything, just like we do, like satsangis will experience. The only difference is that we are connected at the Sar Shabd. So, we are connected beyond the realm of Kal. And that is why our soul will ride on the Sound Current and go beyond Kal. Whereas, they will only experience it, hear it, but they will still be in that particular plane.
Question :
Would Babaji please comment on what the presence of a non-satsangi at the time of death of a devoted disciple may have on the experience of that disciple with the Master? And also, the experience of the satsangi family members who are present there?
Baba Ji :
So, when a satsangi is passing away or is about to expire, he gets the Darshan of the Master within. If there are only initiates or satsangis around him, then he will be able to tell them his experience. If there are non-initiates present, and other people present at that time, then he will continue to experience the same thing, but he will not be telling of his experience to the others.
Question :
My question is about visualization. When visualizing the Form of the Master, we are told to only visualize the Master Who has initiated us. But, I only saw Master Kirpal but for a short time. And, although He made a strong impression, I saw Master Ajaib many more times, spent more time with Him. Is it wrong, then, to visualize or have Ajaib Singh Ji’s memory when it comes up? Also, aren’t all the Radhaswami Masters really the same? Sometimes, when I look at you, I see Master Kirpal or Ajaib, as if You are all One and it doesn't matter.
Baba Ji :
That way, all Radhaswami Masters are the same. All have come from the same place. So, there is nothing wrong when you visualize, or when you see an image of any of the Masters, while you are meditating or otherwise. But, the Naam that has been given to you, you have received from your Master. So, it is that Master’s responsibility to take you back. And, as such, you should be visualizing by your own self. You should keep trying to visualize your Master Who has initiated you when you sit for your meditation. However, if some other image comes up, there is nothing wrong with it. But, consciously, you should try to visualize your own Master’s image when you are meditating.
Question :
If we are initiated by another Master but see the Master working through Babaji, is it wrong to ask Babaji for His help and Grace? Is it better only to ask our Master inside for help?
Baba Ji :
Like I mentioned earlier, when you are initiated by the Master, if you're meditating for the purpose of meditation, you should contemplate and visualize the Form of your Master within. All Saints are the same. All the Saints have come from the same place. And, if you go in the company of any Saint, the Grace that you get from that Saint is always there. Also, if you're asking for Grace to be showered by any of the Masters — whether it is Kirpal Singh Ji, or it is Ajaib Singh Ji, or anyone in that line — there is nothing wrong in that. There is nothing wrong in asking for Grace from anybody. Only, when you’re meditating, you should be contemplating the Form of your own Master at the back of the Eye Center.
Question :
Please explain more about how we can safeguard the progress that we have made here, and how to avoid losing it in our worldly contacts.
Baba Ji :
When we sit here for meditation, we are sitting here in the morning from 7:00 to 9:00, again from 2:00 to 4:00, and even from 3:00 AM. So, there is a continuous time that we are sitting for our meditation. Our mind is much purer here, that is, it is less disturbed by worldly thoughts. So, the focus is better and the attention is also better. And, when we go back, we get involved in our worldly matters, in our occupation, in our homes, and in all of the other things that we do there. So, the mind keeps getting more scattered. It is not possible for you to go back and spend the same number of hours that you have been able to do here. But, what is required is that you should at least try to maintain to sit two and a half hours a day, every day when you go back. Those who are retired and who are not, otherwise, very occupied, for them, instead of sitting once, they can try to sit twice. Then, they will get the same benefit there in their own homes like the benefit they are getting here.
Question :
What karmas are decreased by Darshan? Kriyaman, or others?
Baba Ji :
So, when you take Darshan of the Masters, your Kriyaman karmas, as far as possible, are reduced or redeemed. And, when we sit for meditation and we progress within, then in those situations, even your Sanchit karmas get reduced. So, with the reduction of your karmas of Kriyaman, there is a better impact in your life also by this reduction. And when you're sitting longer hours and your Sanchit is [reducing], again, that also has a better effect on your current life.
Question :
What happens with the relatives of a satsangi? What does the Master do with them as Grace?
Baba Ji :
Where there is a satsangi who is doing his meditation, who is following the instructions of the Master, and he has love and affection for some other family member or some other person he knows, then the Master also showers His Grace and reduces the karmas of such other persons.
Question :
If one attends Satsang for ten years without initiation, is it a benefit?
Baba Ji :
So, such people who are coming for Satsang and they have not been initiated, or even those in a related question, who are just repeating the name of one of the Masters, because they have not been initiated by any Master, such people, because of their intention to be on this Path, they will definitely get another human life, and they will definitely come back on this Path.
Question :
Why don't we see the development of the self-knowledge in the case of some satsangis?
Baba Ji :
So, each one has different types of karmas. And each one has different types of experiences. But, we should continue to do our meditation. Whatever we are meditating is never going to get wasted. It is getting collected for you by your Master. So, each and every time you are repeating a Naam, or you are doing your meditation, that is being accounted for. So, you should not get disheartened by that. And all that is collected. And once, later, with that, your Master also protects you and gives you that full account of your meditation, which you have done.
Question :
What does Babaji think of seeking help from healers who work with energies, such as channelers, people who see a past life or the future for us?
Baba Ji :
So, all the satsangis should refrain from going to any of these healers. Because, firstly, you are building up your karmas by going there. You’re getting their karmas transferred to you. And you should not, by and large, go to people who are showing or having mystic powers and doing such things. Because, you will lose your own progress that you have made on the Path, and you will lose the benefit of your meditation, which you have been doing.
Question :
Is our intuition our soul’s guidance? Or is it coming from our mind still? How do we know we are deciding for our higher self, and not a worldly desire?
Baba Ji :
All the thought processes that you have are all within the realm of the mind. The soul does not have any suggestion that it offers. It is always the mind only that is offering all kinds of suggestions. All your intuitions, all your inner suggestions, everything is all contained within the mind. Mind guides you on two bases. One is sumati, and the other is kumati. One is where it takes you on the Path inward or makes you do good things or good deeds. And the kumati is where it makes you do bad deeds, or takes you away from the Path. So, both these things are being suggested by the same mind.
Question :
When a Master leaves the body, why do some initiates go to different Masters? For example, when Sant Ji left, there are different people coming to Babaji, or there are different people going to Sadhu Ram Ji. So, why does this kind of scattering happen?
Baba Ji :
So, this always has been happening, that when a Master leaves His body, His initiates then go and take such actions, which are appealing to them. And then, they take it forward on that basis. So, one should not dwell too much on these matters. And these are things which happen, and that is how it has always been happening.
Question :
If a Sadhu Ram initiate comes to Babaji and asks for initiation, does Babaji initiate him or her?
Baba Ji :
So, if a Sadhu Ram initiate comes here, he can come here and get the benefit of the meditation that he can do here. The Naam is the same that he has got. It is Babaji's Naam, only that he's getting there. Now, beyond that, I would not like to comment beyond that.
Question :
Are there any living Perfect Masters in other mystical traditions; Zen Buddhism, Kabbalah, Judaism, Christianity, Sufism?
Baba Ji :
So, there is no other Perfect Master that I see today in other forms of mystic traditions. But, if someone has come in the earlier times, or someone has been there, then I wouldn't know about it. Because even Jesus Christ was a follower of the Surat Shabd only. So, Christianity comes from there. So, even He was a follower of that. But, you need a Living Master. So, only a Living Master can give you an initiation and take you within. So, now, if we try to do or get the benefit of Jesus Christ in this time, it is not possible. So, therefore, you should go to a True Master, Who is present in body today, Who's living. So, those who go to a Living Master, they get the benefit.
Question :
Since Master is omnipotent, can He change the rules to make the Path easier for the jivas? In all seriousness, Sawan Singh compared Sant Mat to licking a stone. Maybe Master can convince Sat Purush to make it more like a popsicle.
Baba Ji :
All these difficulties are only till you manifest the Master within. After that, all these difficulties, and all of these, vanish.
Question :
What is the condition of the disciple after leaving his physical body, who has long been initiated, follows the Path, but can’t put in the required time for doing meditation, Satsang, and Bhajan?
Baba Ji :
So, for such people who have been listening to Satsang, doing as much meditation as possible, even though they are not doing a lot of meditation, but whatever little is possible, then at the time of death, Master comes to take them, and He keeps them on a higher plane and gets them to listen to the Shabd there.
Question :
What happens to an initiate who dies in an accident? Or dies through
suicide? I would like to know what happens to the soul who undergoes this.
Baba Ji :
Saints have always made people refrain from doing any suicide or having any such tendencies. Where an initiate dies because of an accident, then the Master definitely comes to take his soul at the time of death. However, if we commit suicide, then that is a very big sin. And that is a taboo. Saints have always forbidden any such thing. So, such people will have to take birth again. And they will have to go through that. Even if we are talking about an accident, if it is happening as an accident, then the Master will come and take the soul. But, where we are purposely making it into an accident, when we create that accident, it is like suicide only. And, in that event, the soul will have to come back and take another life.
Question :
Ek (one) last question. This question is...
If one or more people come to try to hurt or kill a satsangi, what is the right action? Can he or she try to protect themselves, or should they accept it as karma?
Baba Ji :
So, if any such incident happens, you should make efforts to protect yourself.